There's a New Sheriff in Town

I think we might just have taken next year's Christmas Card pictures. These kids are a trip. Mckinley received a pink cowgirl hat and a pink gun. I didn't ask for them to be in the picture. I don't think she would have taken it if I had told her she couldn't. Brax got a race car track from Maw Maw and Paw Paw. He won one similar to it this summer. It "mysteriously" disappeared. The thing took up a whole room. Literally. This new one is a perfect size.
                 Here's a picture of Brax when he got his cowboy hat and gun. He was just about the same age.
  

Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen

Some of my most favorite memories of Christmas were baking with my mom. She was a pretty incredible woman and she just had this way about her that made everything 10x better (my dad does this pretty well too). Baking Christmas cookies with her was awesome. It was fun, and messy, and a group effort, and delicious, and I could go on and on. She always had a list of about 10 things she wanted to bake for the holidays and she always accomplished this.
This year I wanted to do just a hint of baking. I wanted this to be one of the memories my kids grew up with. I talked it up big time. They put on their aprons.
They lasted for 2 minutes. Literally. And told me let them know when they were done.
I'll try again next year.

Christmas Chaos

                                     

    The chaos has set in for sure. Every year I say that when the next year rolls around I will be finished with my shopping before December, I will not rush, rush, rush, and I'll take time to enjoy the season. It's like for 335 days I don't know when Christmas is and BAM- the time is upon us again. Although another season is here and I, A) haven't finished my shopping and B) I do rush, rush, rush, I am enjoying the season. I still have tons to do but I'm going to enjoy doing it and really focus on how fortunate that we are so blessed to be healthy and to have as much as we do. I have also been reflecting on all the changes that have taken place since last year this time. We have so much to be grateful for.
    Just this past week we had Braxton's Pageant at church. My little shepherd had a line in this years play. He did really well.  And just look at how much fun he was having too. No matter what he says Mckinley had a good time. When Braxton's group stood up to sing one of their songs she pointed and said "My brudder!".
    Last Thursday we made the trek to the mall to see Santa. When I picked Mckinley up that afternoon and asked her if she was going to see Santa she said "uhhhh Nope." And she didn't. Wouldn't even wave to him. Once we got back out to the car (I didn't even buy the photo of Brax sitting on his lap. He was seriously disgruntled that his elf had not arrived) "Norman" the elf was sitting on the car seat patiently waiting for us to come out. He's been into all kinds of mischief since!